


Emma Always

by ardentaislinn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Gen, Jane Austen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-01-16 14:48:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1351387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Captain Swan Regency AU based on Jane Austen's Emma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emma Always

Emma Swan, handsome, clever, and of middling income, with a reasonably comfortable home and an independent disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings in existence and had lived twenty nine years of her life with much that vexed her, but nothing that had broken her.

She resided in her deceased husband’s home, in the town of Storybrooke, with her son Henry and a neighbourhood that seemed almost entirely comprised of her close and distant relatives.

There was one man that she most definitely was not related to, however. A man that apparently lived to provoke her in every possible fashion. His name was Mr. Killian Jones, and they had known each other all their lives. Recently, since his closest friend Mr. David Nolan had married Emma’s cousin Miss Mary Margaret Blanchard and they had moved away, Killian had been spending an awful lot of time at the Swan residence.

It wouldn’t bother her normally, and never had before. But she was far too focused on other people’s lives to deduce why he seemed to prefer her home over his own.

It was never improper, of course. Regina, Emma’s companion, was always present, as was expected. But he never seemed to get the hint that she didn’t want him always _there_. He unsettled her, unnerved her and disturbed her normally orderly life. And right now, she could hardly afford any distractions.

“Oh, do stop, Killian. I’m working on a very important problem right now,” Emma hissed at him as he leant over her shoulder to read her scribbling. She surreptitiously tried to cover the pages, but clearly didn’t succeed. She could feel his disapproving look between her shoulder blades.

“Regina and Robin?” he asked softly, from somewhere near her ear. She glanced up at his face, which was far too close for comfort, only to see him raise a brow in amusement. She huffed, and glanced over to check that Regina was still out of hearing range and occupied by her embroidery.

“Even you can’t deny that they’d be very well suited,” she told him at a whisper.

“True, but I don’t see what you have to do with it.”

“I just want her to be happy. I want everyone to be happy. It worked with Mary Margaret and David. So I’ve decided that I am determined to bring happy endings to everyone in this town. Some might even say that it is my destiny.”

“You don’t have to save everyone, Emma. Think about yourself for a change. What do _you_ want?” his voice had gone soft, coaxing. Emma felt it seep in to the corners of her mind. What did she want?

Emma thought about it for only a moment before the longing began. It was clear that she’d had these thoughts bubbling under the surface of her conscious mind for some time and hadn’t been willing to admit them. She wanted someone to spend her days with. And her nights. Someone to share the burden of running a household and keeping order in the town. A person she trusted.

A person she loved.

The thought shocked her. _Love_? Surely not. Her first marriage had had so many lies and betrayals woven through the good parts that Emma didn’t even know what love was anymore. No, that wasn’t on the cards for her.

Besides, she was related to practically every man in town. Except one. And it wasn’t as if he was an option.

“What I want,” she told him archly, “is for you to leave me in peace to plan.”

He narrowed his eyes at her and leaned in close. Her breath caught in her throat. “No,” he breathed.

“What?” she asked faintly, distracted by the way his tongue darted out from between his lips.

“I said, no, I won’t leave you alone to do this,” he said matter-of-factly.

Emma blinked out of her distraction and his words finally processed. “Oh, you insufferable man. I know you disapprove, but can you not just let me do this in peace?” she asked bitingly.

“No,” he said again, with absolute finality. “I won’t. Because I am going to help you.”

Emma’s mind went blank.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: I don’t really have much intention of continuing this right now, but if people like it and the vague thoughts I currently have coalesce into actual ideas I might.
> 
> The first line is a paraphrased version of the opening of Emma. :)


End file.
